Cubs' offensive woes continue, losing to Dodgers 2-0
Knuckleballs, fastballs, sliders - it doesn't matter. Cubs batters can't hit anything or anyone lately, especially away from Wrigley Field.
On Friday night, they were 1-hit on the road for the first time in 23 years (since Tom Browning at Cincinnati on June 4, 1986).
Saturday afternoon in sunny Los Angeles, the Cubs were completely perplexed by Dodgers knuckleballer Charlie Haeger, who was making the third start of his major-league career. Haeger got his first win in the big leagues since Sept. 23, 2006, when he pitched for the White Sox.
Haeger (1-1) scattered 3 hits through 7 innings and the Cubs were shut out 2-0. They've scored just 3 runs while losing the first three games of this series at Dodger Stadium. Cubs batters are hitting .152 during three days (14-for-92), while facing two fill-in starting pitchers.
"It's not looking good, but we're not out of it," losing pitcher Ted Lilly told reporters after the game. "I imagine that we're going to continue to fight and try to find a way to sneak in."
The Cubs had one - and only one - baserunner in each of the first seven innings. Haeger finally left the mound after walking Sam Fuld to lead off the eighth. Milton Bradley struck out on a bad pitch, then Derrick Lee collected the Cubs' first hit of the season off Dodgers reliever Jonathan Broxton.
It wasn't exactly a liner into the gap, but Lee was credited for a double when his flyball was lost in the sun by right fielder Matt Kemp.
With runners on second and third, Aramis Ramirez lined out to first base. With Kosuke Fukudome at the plate, the Cubs could have scored a run on a wild pitch. But after the ball got past catcher Brad Ausmus, it bounced off both feet of home plate umpire Wally Bell instead of rolling to the wall. Fukudome then struck out swinging to end the inning.
In the ninth, the Cubs had runners on first and second with two out before pinch-hitter Ryan Theriot grounded out to end the game.
"That rather elusive hit with men in scoring position didn't materialize," Cubs manager Lou Piniella said. "What can I do? I wish I had a magic formula or magic dust. I really do. But I don't. We've struggled on the road offensively for a long time. We're in a rut right now and we've just got to work our way out of it."
Piniella tinkered with Saturday's lineup. Fuld was a bright spot with 2 walks, 2 stolen bases, plus two great catches in left field. He leapt to snare a Mark Loretta flyball at the wall, then added a running grab of Ausmus' line drive before sliding face-first into the screen protecting the Dodgers bullpen.
"I think the fence is a little better than ivy, but not a whole lot," Fuld said. "It still hurts a little bit."
In Friday's game, Fuld made a catch at the top of the wall, possibly robbing Manny Ramirez of a home run.
Aaron Miles started at shortstop in place of Theriot, who suffered a bruised left knee on Friday, but Miles went 0-for-2 with a walk, lowering his batting average to .178.
The Cubs wasted another quality start from Lilly (9-8), who gave up just 3 hits in 6 innings, though 2 of those were solo homers by Kemp and Casey Blake. In 2 starts since coming off the disabled list, Lilly has given up 2 runs and 7 hits in 12 innings, but didn't get a win in either game.
Piniella expects to return: Now that the deal to sell the Cubs to the Ricketts family has been completed, manager Lou Piniella was asked about his future with the team. He said his status for next year shouldn't be an issue.
"I am signed through next year and I do plan on fulfilling my contract," Piniella said. "But that's not to say I'll be back because I don't make those decisions. I've never once said anything that's different."
<p class="factboxtextbold12col"><b>Mike McGraw's game tracker</b></p> <p class="factboxtextbold12col">Dodgers 2, Cubs 0</p> <p class="factboxtextbold12col">Knuckle sand-whiff: The Cubs couldn't do anything against Dodgers knuckleballer Charlie Haeger, who gave up 3 hits through 7 innings. The Cubs have scored just 3 runs while losing the first three games of this series.</p> <p class="factboxtextbold12col">Start goes bad: Lefty Ted Lilly turned in his second straight quality start since returning from the disabled list, but couldn't get a win. Lilly surrendered just 3 hits through 6 innings, though 2 were solo home runs.</p> <p class="factboxtextbold12col">Into the Fuld: Outfielder Sam Fuld has made three impressive catches in the past two games, including one where he slid face-first into the left field fence. He also had 2 stolen bases Saturday.</p>